When a Delhi Police constable, a DU student activist and a tomboy singer auditioned for Roadies, they had a little more than just winning in mind

The Delhi representation in Roadies this year, all three of them, had more on their mind than winning the show when they auditioned for it. Delhi Police constable Rubal Dhankar, Delhi University student activist Mahamedha Nagar (who takes pride in the fact that she's been in jail about four-five times so far) and Noida's aspiring singer Bharti Bhati ­ these three Delhi dabanggs all have other goals in mind.

I WANT TO CHANGE THE IMAGE COPS HAVE: RUBAL

Not every cop would think of auditioning for a reality show, but Rubal Dhankar, a consta ble from Pitampura, did, and was selected to be part of Roadies X4. Rubal is currently shooting for the show in Darjeeling, and is on a 60-day official leave. He says, “I've been watching the show for so many years, and it was my dream to be a part of it. So when I got to know about the Delhi auditions, I thought it was worth a try , and I was selected. I then disclosed this to my seniors and colleagues, who were very supportive because something like this is needed to change the perception of the police that the public has. Who talks about what policewallahs are in their real lives?Or their good qualities? When people think of a cop, what usually comes to mind is a pot-bellied, bhadda sa aadmi, but I want to change that image. Today , cops really need to connect with the youth and inspire them. For that, there is nothing better than something like this show.“ Rubal, 28, father to a two-year-old, tells us with great pride, “My father was with the Delhi Police, my grandfather was in the Army . My younger brother is also a constable with the Delhi Police. After two months, I'll get back to my regular work and hope that I'll be like a hero for many youngsters here.“

Rubal says that he has an edge over other the contestants on the show thanks to his strict training as a cop. “When it comes to tasks, I feel I've done it all during my training ­ running, rope climbing and other fitness training activities.Many of the tasks are quite similar to the things we do during our training. Apart from physical fitness, we're also trained to work under extreme
weather conditions, while also handling crisis situations. Also, I've stayed away from home for many months, so this doesn't look like a hurdle to me anymore. The only challenge is that all the other participants are youngsters and I have to match up to their passion and beat them. I'm 28, while the others are 21-23. But it's more than just wanting to defeat others on the show, I intend to show people that cops can be fit, smart and have r other positive traits as well,“ he says.

I'VE LED DU RALLIES, SAYS MIRANDA HOUSE ALUMNA

As a student activist, Mahamedha has been working towards women's empowerment and has participated in many programmes on sexual harassment against women. A third-year grad student from Miranda House, Mahamedha says that she has represented India as a young `leader' in a programme hosted by the US government, in which 80 countries had participated. She was also a part of the SAARC conference held in Bangkok recently. Apart from social wo
rk, she is interested in Roadies and auditioned for it without telling her parents. “When I told my father that I wanted to audition for Roadies, he said that I was already doing such good work and that it wouldn't suit my image and work. After starting college, I gave it a second thought and decided to go for the auditions without telling my parents. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be selected, but surprisingly , I cleared each stage. After the final round, I got a call from the show, saying that they wanted to shoot a video about my work and family at my place. I then called my mother and told her I had been selected. My parents were at a wedding and when some of my aunts got to know about it, they told my parents, `Woh toh bahut bura show hai. Pata nahi kya kya karate hain ladkiyon se.' They confused Splitsvilla with Roadies. My father scolded me saying that these reality shows make you do bizarre things and said, `Don't you remember how Kishwer was asked to
pick up a bone like a dog on Bigg Boss?' With great difficulty I managed to convince him,“ recalls Mahamedha.

Though she's participating in the show because she loves it, her idea was to become known among the youth through it. “I have led many rallies at DU and have also been to jail a few times. I was protesting at Jantar Mantar against the release of the juvenile in the Nirbhaya case, and was put in jail for that. In some rallies, bahut lathi charge bhi hua hai.Chot bhi lagi hai, kapde bhi phate hain. I want to continue as an activist, and also contest
for president in the DUSU elections. If I manage to create an identity for myself among the youth through this show, it will be easier for me to connect with them. I want to be in politics and like many other reality show contestants, I do not intend to be in showbiz as of now. But this show is something I love and I'm passionate about it. Iske liye kai baar jail se aane ke baad gym jaati thi, just to train myself for the show,“ she says.

`I'M HERE TO BECOME A SINGER'

Ask what Bharti Bhati, a resident of Sector 101, Noida, did before becoming part of Roadies and she says in her Haryanvi dialect, “Dolti phire thi aur mast raha karti.“ Apart from being a thirdyear BA student in Noida, Bharti is also interested in singing. “Mujhe toh shauk nahi tha auditions ke liye jaane ka. Mere friends ne bataya, `Noida mein auditions ho rahe hain, chali ja.' Toh mai chali gayi. Mujhse jo bola, maine kiya, mu jhe nachaya, Paaji Tussi Such A Pussy Cat pe, Rockstar wala gaana gaaya, push
ups kiye aur ho gaya selection,“ she tells us. It's just only a few days since Bharti has been shooting Roadies and she says that the first few days were very difficult. She even thought she made a mistake by coming here, but now she's enjoying the attention and training that she's been getting. “This is the best platform to get exposure, aur mujhe banna hai singer. Toh thodi bahut mehnat yahin kar leti hoon chance mila hai toh, par bina phone ke rehna sabse mushkil kaam hai,“ she says.